❊ In Lebanon, The “Superficial Glitter” of Christmas is Precisely the Cause for Celebration

Today in his Christmas sermon, Pope Benedict XVI asked the Catholic flock to turn away from the “superficial glitter” of Christmas and return to the simple religious roots of this occasion. A few days before, a wacko who calls himself an Islamic scholar said that “Saying Merry Christmas is worse than killing someone”.

Of course I don’t want to create an analogy between the two. The Pope is one of the world’s most revered people and the bearded guy is an ignorant and obscure extremist. But in a world where the Christians listen to the pope and the Muslims listen to that “scholar”, this would never happen:

This is a picture from Saida of a veiled Muslim woman wearing a Santa Claus costume. I found her to be the perfect mascot for a Lebanon in which Muslims are increasingly celebrating Christmas by decorating trees in their homes and taking part of festivities. Some like Minister Ghazi Aridi, a druz, even set up big nativity scenes in their homes.

Both the pope and the wacko scholar would frown at this picture. The Santa Claus red costume is part of the commercialization and glitter that the pope dislikes. A veiled woman wearing it is an appostate to Islamists.

And yet in Lebanon it’s happening and it’s great news. Because in Lebanon, the superficial glitter is precisely the part of Christmas that unifies the people and creates peace and love between Christians and their neighbors. Isn’t that what Christianity is supposed to be all about?

Merry Christmas to all of you my dear readers, and I hope you have a great new year.